Another Magic
by Lady Daja-chan
Summary: Someone new arrives at Discipline. And she's sort of stuck up and 'unique'. She asks the Circle to travel with her and they accept. What're the odds it'll turn out pretty?
1. Intresting Introductions

*Another Magic*  
  
Whassup!! This my new story for all my readers. I tried to edit it pretty good, because when I read it, it seemed a little childish. I tried to change it a little, but if it still sounds a little baby-ish, just try to ignore it or put the sentence in your own words or something. I'm nothing close to being as good as my fave author, Tammy (Tamora) Pierce. I carry at least one of her books with me through school everyday (yes, she's that good)! If I could actually meet her, I bet I'd be more awed by her brilliance than I am now. If you have any time, please check out neopets.com, or even better, Sheroes.com. Well, my peeps, enjoy!! Chapter 1 *~*~*~*~*Acquaintances*~*~*~*~* Unlike many on a rainy day, she was happy. Having just had midday before a storm was predicted, she was also content. Now, she was lying on a wall surrounding a temple. Winding Circle was named for the road that wound into a spiral inside it. This fore-mentioned girl was now watching a storm being born. She loved doing this. While watching a small puff of cloud get a little bigger, a voice broke her concentration.  
  
"Trisana", a high pitched, but definitely male voice yelled, "Trisana! You're needed at Discipline!"  
  
Oh, well, she thought, At least I saw a little bit. "I wonder what's so urgent that they sent Crane to get me," she whispered to herself. She soon found out.  
  
Two horses were staked in front of her home where she and her foster-sisters and brother lived with two of their teachers. As she studied the horses that she was approaching, she recognized one of them as her teacher's. Niko, Niklaren Goldeye had returned.  
  
She wondered whom the other horse belonged to. It was a beautiful mare. A black horse with a white mane and tail and big, bright, blue eyes. Tris couldn't help but long to ride her.  
  
As attracting as the mare was, Tris felt something much more interesting coming from the cottage. She felt magic. Not just one magic though. It felt as if a thousand mages, each with a different kind of magic, were crammed into Discipline.  
  
As she picked up the pace, she saw Crane jogging towards Discipline, with a 17 year old Briar running to keep up with the long-legged dedicate. "Crane, Briar, what's so important?" Crane only snorted with derision when he passed her by. Briar paused to say," I don't know, but Niko's back." Of course she had noticed this. Niko was her teacher after all! " Is everyone there yet?" she asked him an easier question while thinking him simple. "I think so. You should have asked Crane." Briar sped up and stopped only when he reached the cottage. Tris entered a few seconds later to see that everyone was settled in the dining room, staring at a person that she had never seen before. Chapter 2*~*~*~*~*Friends*~*~*~*~* The newcomer had fair skin, and green eyes a little darker than the green of grass. She was standing, so Tris was able to see the length of her wavy, raven black hair. It hung almost to her knees. She was beautiful. Almost immediately, Tris was told sharply to sit down and ushered into the seat next to Daja. The newcomer looked about their age. She had an uneasy look on her face, like she was nervous. Sandry was the only one not looking at Tris.  
  
Niko stepped forward. "Dia, this is Tris," he said indicating his student first, "Daja, Sandry, Briar, Dedicates Rosethorn, Lark, and Crane." Niko pointed to each in turn. "Everyone, this is Amberadiadaine fa Senatal, sister to the Chammuran amir, cousin of His Majesty of Donvan, and my adopted niece." "My name is Dia," she said. Turning to Niko she said, "All those titles impress noone. They're just a mouthful of names." But in truth she knew they did. She wished they didn't. She didn't want to be labeled a noble. She didn't act like one and some people were prejudiced.  
  
Dia looked over at the boy named Briar. He looked familiar, like a boy she had known when she was eight. Briar gazed at Dia. She looked like someone that he remembered back from his days in Deadman's District in Hajra. The girl that she looked like had been in his gang, the Lightnings. Her name was Malice. Briar knew what that meant but noone argued with the name the Thief-Lord gave. The room was quiet as they stared each other down. Dia smiled. Finally Lark spoke up, "So, who wants to show Dia to her room?" "I will", said all the kids in unison. "Well, since you're all so eager, you can all walk her up to her room." said Rosethorn.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They were walking her to her room and even Tris was asking her questions. "Can we call you Dia?" "Yes." "Is Amberadiadaine only your first name?" "Yes." "What does your house look like?" "Do you live in a palace?" "It looks nice. Yes, I do. Please stop asking so many questions at once!" Silence. "Thank you," said Dia, "Briar, have you always lived here?" "No." "Sandry, Tris, Daja?" "No." "No." "No." "I see that all of you are interested in my past. When you show me my room, I'll tell you. Would you help me get situated please?" "Of course!" they all said in unison again.  
  
"Daja, you know how to use a staff, do you not?" Dia asked. "How did you know-" Daja started, then gasped, "Your eyes are brown!" "So. Oh! Niko forgot to tell you! I'm a rainbow mage," said Dia. "A what?!" Tris stammered. "A rainbow mage," said Dia. "Explain," said Daja. "Alright," Dia sighed, "I'm a rainbow mage. My eyes change color according to what I feel like. They change white when I'm doing magic. Um, I can do every magic. I can even do unmagic but it would eat all of my other magic and it wouldn't be fully restored until about a month later. I'm the youngest master mage in the world and I could live up to 600 years." "Wow! How old are you now?" "I'm 17 right now." "What's your name?" Briar asked. "Dia." "Yeah, she said that already." said Tris. Briar ignored Tris and said, "What's your real name?" "Amberadiadaine." "She said that already too!" said Tris. "I meant your other name." "What?" asked Tris. "Dia is your name Malice?" he asked quietly. If she was, he knew what she would say. There was silence. "Maybe." she said quietly, "Roach?" "Huh?" said Sandry. "Yeah." Briar nearly whispered. "Briar's a roach?" inquired Daja, interested. The two explained how they knew each other.  
  
During their discussion, they arrived at Dia's room. While Sandry and Dia unloaded her clothes into a chest of drawers, they were the only ones on that side of the room. "Dia, you spoke of unmagic," whispered Sandry, "Have you ever used it against anyone?" "Yes. I used it against Niko when I thought him to be an enemy." Dia said, also whispering. "I was so sorry about that, and my power's just now regenerating itself. I almost killed him, I'm glad I didn't." Sandry nodded solemnly, and went back to work.  
  
After they had finished putting Dia's things away, they went outside to show her around. "I wonder where Little Bear is." said Sandry. "Probably still with Galaxy, chasing Star." Dia answered. "Who's Star and Galaxy?" Briar asked, before Sandry could ask the same. "My kitty and my doggy." Dia said, her voice phony and sweet. "Here they come now. I'll have to bend over so that Star can jump into my arms and Galaxy can knock me over." It happened just as she said it would, except with double-force, because Little Bear bowled her over too and started licking her face. "I see that I was introduced prior to our meeting," she said to Little Bear, laughter in her voice. "Can you talk to animals too?" asked Sandry. "Yep. It's something I do with Star and Galaxy a lot. It's fun." Dia explained. "Wow," Tris said, "Could you, no, um, would you ask Little Bear why he likes us so much?" "Sure. I'd love to." She crouched and asked Little Bear the question. Of course, really noone could hear her ask him the question because the volume of her voice was too low for human ears to hear, but she did ask him. "Little Bear says that he likes Sandry because she always has a faint smell of food about her. He likes Daja because she's always warm. He likes Briar because he always smells a little like dirt. He likes Tris because," she paused to make them wait in suspense, "Because she's really nice and friendly and can relate to him." "Ooookkaaay," said Daja, "Let's visit Dedicate Gorse."  
  
It was a friendly chat all the way down to the Hub. Tris discovered how each of Dia's pets earned their names. Galaxy was black and specked white, so that made her spots look like stars in a black space. Star got her name from the white star on the back of her left ear that was standing out against the rest of her bright orange body. Tris also discovered that Star didn't like to be picked up or held by anyone but Dia. Galaxy liked to be held by everyone. As everyone petted her, Little Bear hung back, letting the newcomer get all of the attention. They resumed their walk to the Hub.  
  
First, Briar took Dia to meet Dedicate Gorse. When he saw her he said, "Oh, well what do we have here?" "Gorse, meet Amberadiadaine." "That's your name is it? Well Ambera, um, do you have a nickname?" "It's Dia," she said and smiled. "Ah, that's much better. Say, Dia, would you like a muffin?" "Oh! Yes!" Dia nearly shouted excitedly. "What kind?"  
  
They walked back to Discipline, chewing softly on their sugar -topped cinnamon with honey covered almonds muffins. Dia had gotten a gift basket from Gorse, which she was swinging from her free hand. In the other arm, she held Star. She had given half of her muffin to the dogs, so she was the first one finished. They had decided to go to Dia's room to play one of her board games and hang out. They were talking about which game they were going to play, when a voice broke into their discussion.  
  
"Briar!" a young voice called. "Briar!" she called again. "Yeah," Briar yelled, "What do you want?" A young girl about 12 or 13 bounded down the steps of Discipline. She stopped when she saw Dia. "Tris, who's this?" she asked the person nearest to her. "Dia." Tris said simply. "She lives here now. She has the other room downstairs." "Oh, okay." She said slowly. Dia reached out a hand carefully. The girl looked at the hand warily. Then she saw the sleeping Star in Dia's arm and smiled. Evvy grasped her hand and shook it carefully, as not to wake up Star. "So, what did you want?" asked Briar. Evvy responded, "I came to see what you all were doing so that I could do it too, because I was bored." She said all of this really fast and it took Briar a moment to figure out what she had said. Almost immediately Dia said, "We were going to my room to play games, I hope you'll come too." Dia said this equally as fast and it took all of them a minute to figure out what she said. "Okay," Evvy said, and that was all that Daja, Sandry, Tris, and Briar understood because at that point in the conversation, they gave up. On the way to Dia's room, they Evvy quizzed her on her pets. There were questions like, "What's their names?" and "How old are they? Where did you get them from?" Finally, when they got to her room, "Can me and the cats sleep in here tonight?" The answer was, "Yes. Of course you can."  
  
After playing games in Dia's room and talking, they all decided to sleep there. During the night, Tris awoke to see Dia sitting on the windowsill. It almost looked like she was sleeping, but Tris could see the magical aura around her. Figuring that she was meditating, Tris turned back to her cot, and gave a slight gasp. when she saw it levitating right beside her.  
  
~Tris~, Dia mindspoke. ~You can mindspeak with us?~ Tris mindspoke back. "I did it while you were sleeping, because that's the only time that I can add on to your connection." Dia said, using her voice again and not bothering to whisper. Everyone is awake anyway, she thought, they shouldn't have to strain to hear something that they should know anyways.  
  
"Oh, why didn't you ask us?" "I did. In your dreams." Dia answered politely. "Oh yeah, that's right," Tris said, vaguely remembering. "Why is my bed levitating?" "Um, I needed the practice," Dia said, almost wincing at her weak excuse. The truth was best, right? "I made it so that when you woke up, you wouldn't feel the difference." "How did you know that I would wake up?" Tris countered. "I foresaw this conversation," she said, and yawned. "Goodnight, Tris." she said, sleepily and dismissively. ~Now is not the time to bicker~ she mindspoke to Tris. They both climbed into their beds and went to sleep almost instantly. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Briar woke up earlier than usual the next morning, but Evvy and Dia were already gone.  
  
Tris, Daja, and Sandry had finally gotten Evvy to stop saying 'pahan' before his name, and he wasn't missing it. Hearing himself being called 'Pahan Briar' made him feel old, and he definitely wasn't that.  
  
Right about now, Briar couldn't help but feel hungry, so he got dressed and checked the icebox. He didn't feel like eating anything in there, so he made his way down to the Hub. He had walnut pancakes drenched in maple and blueberry syrup, and topped off with caramel sauce. He ate until he was stuffed. "I definitely ate too much," he told Gorse, "I'd better leave now. Thanks." He left the Hub and walked down the main road. On his way, he passed the Smithies.  
  
He was almost to Discipline when he heard a voice yell, "Hey!" What's Kirel doing up so early? he thought. He heard a thud and Evvy's voice, "Stop it!" Briar backtracked around the corner to see Evvy on the ground with a silver dish beside her. It had something engraved on it. Briar started walking towards them. What's going on? he wondered. He took a few steps and saw Dia offer a hand to Evvy, help her up and confront Kirel.  
  
He was still too far away to hear much, but he overheard the words 'dog dish' and 'stole' because those were the loudest of all. He started to jog and as he got closer he could hear more. "Not stole, bought!" Dia practically yelled into Kirel's face, "I bought it!" "What do you know, you stupid girl!" was Kirel's angry and frustrated reply. "Kirel don't!" Briar shouted, but he was too late.  
  
Kirel pushed Dia and she started falling. Quickly, she put her hands beneath her. All of those years in Hajra had taught her quick and deadly defense. Automatically, she wrapped her legs around the boy's middle, and rolled over, causing him to fall to the ground.  
  
Who was this tall boy anyway? Why was he going around yelling and being pushy? She hurriedly got to her feet and he did too. They were staring each other down. Light green against light blue.  
  
All this time Briar had been on his way and he finally got there. "What were you two doing," he asked Kirel and Dia. Evvy had been looking at Dia in awe ever since she confronted Kirel. It took a lot of courage to stand up to somebody bigger than you. I'm starting to like her more by every minute. I've got to stop that, she thought. "He pushed Evvy after I gave her Galaxy's dish." Dia pointed to the silver dish on the ground and Briar picked it up. It had Galaxy's name engraved on it and was worked with bronze. Dia was looking at Briar quizzically, with one eyebrow raised slightly more than the other, and wondering if Briar was just going to keep her dog's dish. She was just about ready to tell him that he could have it.  
  
Briar was thinking, that expression looks beautiful on her. On almost anyone else it just looks stupid. Kirel was starting to notice this stranger's prettiness too.  
  
She wore a sky blue shirt with silver and sky blue striped breeches. She also wore slippers and a silk ribbon in her hair of the same color. All of that blue brought out her deep, but light green eyes. Wow, he thought, I've never seen anyone like her before.  
  
"Why are you all dressed up?" Briar asked, handing her dish back to her. "I always dress like this," she said. Looking around, she saw that everyone was dressed more plainly than she was. Kirel had on both a black shirt and black breeches. Evvy had on an orange tunic with brown trousers. Briar had on a green shirt and light brown trousers. Dia grinned, "I guess I am a dressed a little different, but it's hardly dressing up. Who are you anyway?" she responded to Briar and asked Kirel. "Oh," Briar started, "Kirel, this is Dia, Dia, this is Kirel." "Okay." said Dia. She turned to Kirel. "Why are you staring at me?" "I'm not." he replied, even though everyone knew that he was.  
  
Figures approached. Daja, Tris, and Sandry! "Good morning everyone!" Sandry chirped gleefully, "I think we were all drawn to this spot by something." She looked at Dia. "Maybe," she said, "Maybe not." Briar grinned. This was the Malice he knew.  
  
"Did you have breakfast already?" Tris asked Evvy, Briar, and Dia. "Yeah" they all said at once. "What did you eat Briar?" Sandry asked. Briar told them. "Evvy, Dia, what did you eat?" "We ate some of those honeyed walnuts that Gorse gave me yesterday in that basket." "Oh! Why didn't you wake me up? I wanted some of those!" Daja said laughing. "Me too. Share, share!" Sandry chanted at Dia. Tris stood back and chuckled. Dia looked shocked. "I- i-," Dia stammered. "Stop yelling at her!" Kirel said playing along. It started getting windy. "Tris! What are you doing? Stop it!" Sandry yelled, the laughter gone from her voice. "I'm not doing anything!" Tris yelled back. She along with everyone else had stopped laughing.  
  
Dia had her back turned to them. Briar was shaking her shoulder gently and saying, "Dia, Dia." Dia turned towards them. Her eyes were a bright red. Dia asked, "Are my eyes red?" They all nodded. "I thought so," she said, "There's a hurricane coming." Her eyes turned their usual green and then suddenly they glazed white. Like someone had dropped shades over her eyes. Evvy screamed.  
  
"Her eyes turned white. That means." Tris opened the thick book that she was carrying. "Okay. It means that she's doing magic." "What does red mean?" Evvy asked shakily. "Hmmm. It means that, wow, it means that she's scared." "But she's never scared," whispered Briar. Well she never used to be scared when I knew her before, he thought, but maybe since then she's gone soft.  
  
Dia collapsed and Kirel caught her, but her eyes were still white. "She's so cold," he said and carried her inside and over to the forge. She didn't warm quickly, but it eventually happened. Evvy and Kirel knelt or sat by her until she returned to normal.  
  
Evvy lunged and hugged her as soon as she sat up. Kirel just stood up and blushed. Dia hugged Evvy briefly, and looked at Kirel. She smiled and said, "Thanks. Look outside." They all looked and Tris shrieked, "You meddled with the weather!" "Yes I did, but don't worry," she said quickly before the redhead did anything drastic, "I took the strength from the storm and put it in me because I knew I would be tired. No harm done." She stood up and twirled a quick circle, stepping in the same exact position and place as where she started. "You should be a dancer." Sandry said. "I was, back in Donvan." "Donvan?" "It's on the other side of the Pebbled Sea." "Yes. I used to live around there. Where did you live?" Kirel asked. "I'm the king's cousin." "Oh." Kirel said, dismayed. He had liked this girl. Dia, he reminded himself, she has a name. He had really started warming up to her. He thought that she was pretty and was even going to walk back to Discipline and ask her out. But, she was a royal, and royals were not to be touched. She was everything that a princess should be. She was beautiful, graceful, spirited, and had a beautiful voice. How could he not have noticed!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3*~*~*~*~* Paths of Hope *~*~*~*~*  
  
"Rosethorn, come quickly! Dia's doing something strange!" yelled Sandry. Dia was kneeling on the side of her bed, shaking and sweating. "Dia, what's wrong?" Rosethorn touched Dia's arm gently and Dia flinched. "I've lost my genvee," she wailed. "What's a genvee, Dia?" Rosethorn asked gently. "It's what I keep my power in and what keeps my power restricted. Without it, I do bad things because my magic's dangerous. It might not stay in my body and meditation won't help at all."  
  
"Oh, well then, what do we have to do?" Daja asked. She, Lark, and Tris had just walked in. "You all have to find it. I can't move that much." The door slammed. Briar had arrived. "Briar!" Sandry called. "What!" "Come here!" Briar arrived at a run and Dia turned around to face him. He picked her up with a grunt, she was heavier than she looked, and put her on the bed. "Alright, what?" They told him.  
  
He turned to Dia. The way that Dia was looking at him made him feel odd. This didn't make sense. She was a friend and a housemate. "Hurry," she whispered. Briar felt his knees start to shake and said hurriedly, "I need to use the toilet." In truth, he did. While in there, he found something that he had never seen before.  
  
After getting instructions from Dia Lark asked, "What does it look like?" "It's on a thin gold chain, "Dia responded. "It has two stones. One is small, and one is big. The small stone is on top and has a small golden plate beneath it. The stone is shaped like a diamond. Underneath the small plate is the bigger stone. It's kind of round but it's faceted. Both of the stones are. Underneath the bigger stone is a bigger golden plate with rounded ridges. The whole thing is about the size of a thumbnail." Dia turned away from them and closed her eyes. Rosethorn started, "Wait! What color are the stones?" "Blue." Dia said groggily, and fainted. "Yikes." Tris muttered.  
  
Briar returned carrying a three-foot long chain in his hand. Rosethorn and the others were searching around things in the kitchen. She looked up. "Boy! Why aren't you helping?!" "Is this Dia's genvee?" He showed Rosethorn. "It looks like what she described," she answered. "She described it? When?" "When your bladder was full." Tris said, snatching the necklace. Tris woke Dia up and slid the chain over her head. Dia went back to her regular self almost at once. Tris watched her skin visibly go from white to a light pinkish color. Tris couldn't help herself. She hugged Dia.  
  
"Ohhhh! Tris got all mushy!" Briar teased. "Aw, Briar," Dia said, "Would you like a hug too?" She trotted over to Briar and gave him a bear hug. Briar felt his head get hot and his scalp started prickling. He knew that he was blushing and pulled away.  
  
Chapter 4 *~*~*~*~*Traveling Dreams*~*~*~*~*  
  
During dinner, Dia looked around at everyone nervously. "What?!" Rosethorn aid finally, "Spit it out!" "Okay." Dia said, taking a deep breath. "I have to go and find the one other rainbow mage and I, I was wondering," she pause, "I was wondering if you would all go with me." She looked away, embarrassed for asking them to intrude into her business. During her time at Discipline she had changed, become more trusting of people.  
  
Dia has just confirmed my beliefs, Briar thought, I knew she had gone soft!  
  
The room was quiet. ~Please~ she mindspoke to all the other kids, ~Please come~. ~We want too go~ Daja mindspoke back, ~But Lark and Rosethorn must approve first~.  
  
Lark and Rosethorn stared at each other for a moment. "Alright Dia. When do we leave?" said Lark, smiles playing across her and Rosethorn's faces. "Oh! Yay!" Sandry yelled, grinning broadly. "Where are we going?" Briar asked excitedly. "I'm not exactly sure, but it's someplace warm." There was silence, then a great commotion of Rosethorn and all of the kids except Dia rising to their feet and running to their rooms to pack. "We leave in two days!" Dia yelled, standing at the foot of the stairs. "Oh!" said Lark surprised, "Then I'd better get packing!" and she bustled off to her room. Dia fell to the kitchen floor, laughing hysterically.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The long carriage rode as smoothly as if it were on water. There was rain every other day on their 5-day trip to the kingdom of Landen. "Dia, never did you tell us why we're going to Landen. I mean it's a beautiful scene," Sandry took in the forest they were passing through with a wave of her hand, "But why?" "Huhm?" said Dia, eyeing Briar suspiciously. He wasn't asleep, but he pretended to be. She went over and rapped him on the head, hard. Then she fell back into her seat to block him when he lunged at her. She shoved him back into his seat. All of the girls laughed softly while Briar massaged the sore spot in his head. Lark, Rosethorn, Tris and Evvy were sleeping. It would not be wise to wake them. Especially Rosethorn. "Oh, yeah," said Dia, "We came here for me to finish my training. I'm already a master mage, but I need to be a mystic to fully control my power. There are only two rainbow mages in the world at a time. When we die, we have to pick an unborn baby to give it to, but when the baby gets it, it's at its basic level again. Well, anyway, like I said, I need to become a mystic, and the only other mage is here. He's conveniently close, and he happens to be a mystic." "What's mystic?" Daja asked. "It's the next level after master mage. Only rainbow mages have to attain it. Oh my, there he is! I feel his power. Niko stop!" Dia leapt out of the carriage, landing smoothly and sliding a little. Briar stood in the carriage, bumping his already sore head on the low ceiling. He yelled and plopped back down into his seat. Niko halted as quickly as he could. Everyone jumped out, including Lark, Rosethorn, Tris, and Evvy, who had just woken up. The only person who saw Dia fast enough to follow her was Evvy. She sped off in hot pursuit of Dia. Unfortunately she couldn't keep up and got lost in the crowd.  
  
Dia rushed ahead, bumping into people and jumping over some. What was this crowd here for? She checked a small woman's mind. A royal procession! She rushed ahead, feeling for the mage's power with her own, and scanning the crowd with her eyes. I feel him more powerfully than ever! Wait, what if it's not a 'he'? Gee, I've never really thought about it before. I guess I'll just have to find out.  
  
Briar raced along the street. He spotted a boy, maybe a year older than him, waving to a passing group of what looked liked palace people. He approached the boy at a jogging pace. The boy saw him approaching, stopped waving, and stared at him.  
  
Two guards suddenly seized Briar by his arms. "Let him go!" the boy shouted. The stern- looking guards hesitantly released him. Briar glared at them, then turned to the boy. "My name's Briar," he said. It would be good to make a friend, he thought, I'm not sure how long Dia will need to be here. "I'm Christopher, but call me Chris," said the boy.  
  
At that moment, Dia came out of the opposite side of the lane. She rushed at Briar and Chris, catching their attention. A guard caught hers when he threw an arm around her waist. She was running so fast that when the man stopped her, her whole upper body jerked forward, and she sliced her cheek against the sword in his hand. Her genvee, which she wore under her clothes, came out when her body jerked. "Let her go! Leave us alone, all of you!" Chris shouted. "Yes, Majesty." all of the guards replied in unison.  
  
"Majesty?" said Briar surprised. Only then did he notice the quality of clothes that his friend was wearing. Chris wore a crème shirt with slashed sleeves and a dragon green leather vest over it. He wore dragon green satin breeches that had a silver hem. He also wore a bracelet with a silver key hanging off of it with a sapphire on the head of the key on one side, and an emerald on the other. Briar had also noticed the power aura around Chris. And Chris was a majesty and probably a prince.  
  
Chris had caught Dia when she fell after the guard let go from jerking her around. She felt lightheaded, but pushed the stranger away anyway. "Who are you?" she asked, easing herself to the ground to sit. "I'm Christopher. Call me Chris," he answered. "Well Chris, I'm Dia." 


	2. Getting Settled in a 'Dreamland'

Dia shook his hand. "I've come for you to train me, if you have the time." "Oh sure! I don't really have anything else to do." "Dia, that's a his majesty," Briar quipped, "We should bow and say your highness after every sentence." "Hmph!" Dia noised at Briar.  
  
"Why are you staring at me?" she asked Chris. Chris pointed to her stomach and asked, "Your genvee, I suppose?" "Quite right," she answered. "Yours?" she asked, pointing to his bracelet. "You know so," he countered. "Well," said Briar, stepping up to Chris, "Here." He mocked Chris with a deep bow. Chris frowned "There's really no need-" he started, but Briar interrupted, "Dia, your turn." Dia stepped up to Chris. "Please don't," he said to Dia, still a concerned look in his eyes due to her fall. "I'm fine now. Really, thanks. And you know I have to bow since you told me not to." She bowed, but not so deep as Briar's mock. When she straightened, her face was slightly red from the effort.  
  
Briar tapped Dia's shoulder. "Your genvee is out." he said. "Oh." was Dia's reply. She pulled at her collar and when she grabbed her genvee and looked at it, she saw that it was glowing. That was not a good sign. She hurriedly tucked it into her shirt because she didn't want Chris to see it, or if he hadn't seen it and Briar did, she didn't want Briar asking any questions about it.  
  
Chris was actually too busy examining her to do anything. Dia was tall, for a girl, about 5'11. She had light green pools for eyes, a pointed nose, level mouth, and her ears stuck out just enough for him to notice their existence. Her nose was not too large or too small, and was centered in her face. Her lips were a mix between mauve and red and shaped themselves like a heart as she talked. She had an almost flawless complexion with a few small freckles under each eye that you could only see if you were standing close or had unnaturally good sight. Her hands were medium sized, without scrapes or scars with slim fingers. She wore a silk mauve colored shirt with purple silk pantaloons, overcoat, and slippers. Her overcoat sported a pink rose embroidered on the right pocket (Thanks to Sandry). Her hair must be long, he thought, to have such a huge bun in the back. Dia had tried, and partially succeeded, to round all of her hair up and place it in a bun. It was about the size of both of his hands put together, and it was secured by green dragonfly pins that matched his outfit. A few curls had escaped confinement, four on each side. Each at least reached her hips.  
  
Dia was also examining the prince. He's cute, she thought to herself. He's got a fair complexion, and his nose is sort of small, for a boy's. It looks good on him though. He has nice hands. Not at all wrinkly, and not huge and hard-looking. He had normal sized lips and mauvish lips. He had golden curls that reached to the middle of his cheek. His eyes were a deep, dark green.  
  
Both of their eyes sparkled as they looked each other over, of in their own little worlds. Briar sulked in the background. He wore a long sleeved dark blue shirt and breeches. He also had, brand new, well made soft tan leather boots. His jade green eyes flashed. "Dia, we'd better get back to the carriages before they start to miss us." said Briar, breaking into the silence.  
  
"Will you and your party come to my ball in three days time? It's for my birthday. I'd really like to get to know all of you." Chris said. "I'll ask." Dia said. ~Why?~ Briar mindspoke, ~You know that they'll say yes. Why not just tell him yes?~ ~I'm not sure that they'll say yes and it would be rude not to ask first. It would also be imposing that we don't have any guardians with us, or that we don't care or obey what they say to do.~ Dia mindspoke back. ~You're right, but I think you made all of that up just now, and at first you just wanted to leave him hanging!~ Briar replied. ~Yeah, right! I wouldn't do that.~ Dia said and broke the conversation off just before Chris said, "Dia, your cheek. Come here." She walked over to him and he cupped his hand over her slash wound. She could feel it healing. " Thank you. I'll see you later." she said happily over her shoulder, jogging off towards the crowd again, which had thinned because the royal family had passed.  
  
Briar started walking towards Dia, but turned his back to her after only a few steps to talk to Chris. "Chris I-" Briar started, then stopped. He would let Chris find out about Dia's spitfire personality in his own. So instead he said, "I'll meet you tomorrow, an hour after midday, at your palace door. Dia says that's where we're staying anyway. Not at the door, the palace. You know what I mean." He caught up with Dia. Chris caught a part of the conversation. Dia said, "No, I did mean that we were staying at the door of the palace, really. You can actually go in if the guards let you past." Briar hit her upside the head, "It's you who have problems with guards, oh miss, 'I got cut by a dagger! Save me! Save me!'" "I did not say that!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Moving in was a cinch. Especially with Dia and her magic helping. She informed the gang that if she kept from using her power, she would get sick from having too much. All of the pets had come along with them. Evvy's cats seemed to deem Star worthy of their presence, and welcomed Star into their fold. Little Bear had developed a tendency to disappear into parts of the castle, following Galaxy. Dia said that it was puppy love and that she wouldn't tell where they were going. She would only smile and say, "It's a secret." The cats decided to have a sleepover in Evvy's room, so Evvy slept in Dia's. They stayed up pretty late. Evvy fell asleep in Dia's bed and Dia fell asleep while lounging on the couch.  
  
In the morning, a knock on the door woke them. Evvy jumped up off of the bed warily and looked around. "Evvy, it's okay," Dia said soothingly and sleepily, "The door's locked." Dia got up and put on her robe, and opened the door. Standing there was Chris, looking nervous. "Let me in!" he said in a nervous whisper. His top lip was busted, and there was blood splattered all over his clothes. "Please!" he whispered. "Okay. Come in." She stuck her head out of the door to check that no one was in the corridor.  
  
She turned and seated Chris on a tall stool and searched through her medicine cabinet. "Evvy," she called out, "Put on my robe! We have a visitor!" "Okay!" Evvy yelled back, "Which one?" "Whichever one you want!" Dia replied. She didn't want Chris to think that she had more stuff than him, even though she probably did.  
  
"Ah, here it is." Dia said, pulling out a bottle of clear liquid. She also took a small square of cloth, a bandage, and some adhesive. "Okay now. Don't talk." "I won't." said Chris. "Shush!" replied Dia. She dabbed the liquid onto Chris's upper lip. She was surprised that he didn't flinch. This stuff stung. Then she remembered something that Daja had told her on the way there when Briar had decided to walk in the rain without a coat or hood, "Boys," she had said, "Forever trying to be tough."  
  
Evvy came out in a long linen robe that she had to hold up to keep from stepping on. "What are you doing?" she asked when she saw Dia and Chris. "I'm cleaning up our friend here." Dia said. "Our friend?" asked Evvy, "He ain't my friend, 'cause I don't even know who he is." Dia introduced them, while trying hard not to laugh. The look on Evvy's face was enough to stop her. Evvy's face was a mixture of fear and confusion. "A-a prince?" Evvy stuttered nervously, thinking of Zenadia doa Attaneh. "Yes, Evvy. I know about you and Briar's adventure in Chammur. I can promise that Chris isn't like that. Chris, what were you doing to get so badly injured? And why?" Dia asked. "Well, I suppose I could tell you. But only if you can keep a secret." Chris looked at the two, who nodded. Then he said, "I tripped." "Liar!" announced Evvy, while smiling at Chris, who was also smiling. Dia sat straight-faced and solemn, her eyes hard. Chris had started laughing and rocking back and forth. Evvy just kept smiling, although, her eyes had diverted from Chris to the window. Dia stared hard at Chris, trying to draw his attention.  
  
He finally turned to Dia, saw the warning look on her face, and stopped rocking and laughing at once. "Dia, what's wrong?" he asked. Dia just stared at him for a moment more before stating coldly, "It wasn't really that funny."  
  
Dia looked out of the window at the dark-lilac colored sky. "Evvy, it's still really early," Dia said, glaring at Chris, "You can go back to bed if you want." "I think I will," Evvy replied, still looking out of the window. "You should have been up now anyway, Dia. Plus, I'm your teacher really, and your elder. 'Obey you elders, little child'," Chris said, smirking. Dia stood and walked towards the washroom. Chris resisted the urge to pull Dia around the waist into his lap. He quickly banished the thought. "Obey me, 'cause I'm your elder," he said again, "Get up when I say. Around this time everyday should be nice." Dia just kept walking and mumbled, "Hmph! Yeah right, jerk." Chris heard and remarked softly, not wanting Dia to hear, "It must be that time of the month, then." Evvy, who was sitting next to him, snorted, rose, and walked regally away, feigning offense at the remark. Evvy went into the bedroom and slammed the door closed. The noise prompted Dia to poke her head out of the washroom door. She glared at Chris once more, shut the door, and began to bathe. 'This should be interesting,' Chris decided, as he relaxed and drifted of to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dia shook Chris's shoulder gently. He had been asleep since she got out of her dressing room. She admitted to herself that she felt much better after bathing, much more awake, and like she could tolerate more (of Chris). She came to he senses and quickly connected a mind-link with him. Then she pinched his nose with her fingernails. He yelled, and then pushed her off of him. He threw a fireball at her. She froze it. She felt something hot graze her cheek. She threw a small lightning bolt at him, which he caught. Dia watched it seem to melt into his hand, and quickly gave him an uppercut in the stomach. He lurched forward. "Al-alright," he sputtered, "I guess I deserved that."  
  
Dia rose up and offered her hand to Chris. He accepted it and she pulled him up. ~Dia, what's wrong? ~ a voice mindspoke, ~Calm down. ~ Dia's eyes widened. ~Sandry? Where are you? ~ Sandry replied, ~Outside your door. When I knocked, I heard a ruckus. Open up. ~ Dia turned and opened the door to see Sandry in silk pajamas and robe. "Good morning," she said to Dia and Chris cheerily, "What are you doing? What happened? Where's Evvy?" "Chris came to escort me to wherever we're training. We just had a little. . . 'fight'-" "If that's what you want to call it." "Shut up, Chris. Evvy's asleep." Dia answered.  
  
"Yes. Hello, Lady Sandrilene." Chris said politely. "Just Sandry, please." Sandry sighed. "Dia, I am so bored. May I come with you all and watch?" "Sure! I mean," she looked imposingly at Chris, "If my teacher permits." "Yes, of course Lady Sandril- I'm sorry, of course, Sandry." Chris said. "Great," Sandry squealed. "Uh, Sandry, before you get too excited, you might want to get dressed." "Oh." Said Sandry, blushing, "I suppose so." "We'll wait." Dia said. "Shouldn't you ask Chris first?" "Nope, I don't talk to people who consort with air." Dia responded, smiling lightly. "How do I consort with air?" "You tell me." Sandry smiled and left the room. "You'll pay for that." Chris said, smiling knowingly. Dia wore 'confused' like a dog, and followed Chris out of her room.  
  
"First, we have to go up to my room to get supplies." Chris said. "Christopher! My dearest cousin, I see you've recovered from your training his morning." The speaker was a tall boy. His dark red hair was slicked back with a thick gel. He had shocking ice blue eyes, fair skin, high chiseled cheekbones, and was clothed in palace mages' uniform robes of silver and red. He looked about 19-years-old." And who is this beautiful young lady flower who graces your unworthy presence?" He bowed down low, took Dia's hand, and kissed it. "This is Lady Dia," Chris said, and hurriedly added, "We were just going. Come Dia." They walked up three flights of stairs before Dia said, "So you get training too?" "No," he said, his voice stern, "It's not training, it's hazing. He's just a big bully!" he finished, angrily shouting. He turned to look at Dia, whose face wore a shocked expression. "Sorry, about. . . that. He's my cousin. His name is Lord Brandon. He's the castle's chief defense mage. Even though he's only a year older than me, he feel compelled to push me around. "Is that what happened to your lip and clothes this morning?" Dia inquired. "You ask too many questions. Stop being so nosy." He said. "Yeah, stop being so nosy!" Sandry shouted from down the hall. "You copied my outfit!" Dia shouted. Sandry had put on a crisp white cotton shirt, a forest green shirt, and black dress boots. Dia had on the same, except for the fact that she had substituted the skirt for pants, and the dress boots for well-worn, knee- lengthy black boots.  
  
They entered Chris's room. "Um, Chris, it looks like you have some pretty good stuff in here. Too bad your room's a mess!" Dia laughed and continued, "What happened to your bed? Do you sleep wild or what? I mean, you could have a least made up your bed! You didn't have to rush and wake me up and annoy me, you could've spent 5 minutes to straighten up your room!" Dia roared with laughter. Sandry couldn't help but to go into a fit of giggles, which she tried to disguise and muffle unsuccessfully with her hand clapped over her mouth. Chris smiled at Dia, "I wasn't coming to see you. I was trying to escape Lord Brandon." "Who?" asked Sandry, face alight with confusion. Chris explained, interruptions from Dia. Dia said, "Well ,I think he's nice" about six times.  
  
"He sounds alright from Dia's point of view," Sandry concluded openly, "And he sounds terrible from Chris's. I guess I'll just have to meet him." Dia smiled and took in her surroundings for a second time. An open journal lay on top of a bookshelf which was the only neat thing in the room. Dia's fingers twitched as she looked at the diary. "Hey Sandry look! It's written in a lady's hand," she said, picking up the diary. She began to read it aloud,  
  
"Life is forever untamed  
  
Unruled, with those forever insane  
  
Sorrows come, then some go  
  
Happiness is a plague.  
  
Rulers and monarchs govern my every breath  
  
Taking everything that comes my way to the winds, good and bad  
  
My heart distresses to see my children trampled under the feet of our people  
  
Love grows bigger inside my heart, which seems to move farther away  
  
How many times have I gone to my window and seen families of birds,  
  
Catching their hopes on the roofs of distress  
  
Then I wonder why I can't do the same  
  
I look at my tired back and see my wings  
  
Crushed under all f the burdens I carried day by day  
  
How cruel fate has been to me!  
  
Steering my life to an unwanted future  
  
I look around for help and see no one.  
  
My heart has retired; its steady glow has disappeared.  
  
I fear I have been a burden to nature." 


End file.
